Two days later, the leaders of various survivor organizations ordered their armed contingents to remain stationed outside. They themselves, led by staff from the First Base, gradually entered the city.
After the proposal for a public trial was rejected, the First Base attempted to divert attention to themselves, but this move was swiftly noticed by the Survivor Alliance led by Wen Xin. They responded decisively, initiating over a month of public opinion offensives and power struggles.
The First Base never expected Wen Xin to reveal the vaccine formula outright!
Previously, holding exclusive control of the zombie virus vaccine forced others to abide by their terms. Despite widespread resentment, no one dared to voice dissent. Now, with the formula public, anyone could manufacture the vaccine, significantly undermining the First Base’s leverage.
This land was still riddled with scars, with life clinging on desperately. It was a time for restoration and rebuilding, yet First Base chose this critical juncture to introduce artificial ability users, driving unaffiliated survivor groups into desperation. Without this catalyst, this tug-of-war could have dragged on for decades, without uniting humanity.
At the city gate, the First Base and the Survivor Alliance stood armed and ready, staring each other down. The tense atmosphere froze some of the more timid onlookers into silence.
Then, the roar of engines echoed from afar. Under watchful eyes, a convoy of a dozen light armored vehicles rolled in, kicking up a storm of dust as they stopped.
The car doors opened, and a slender figure stepped out under the reverent and wary gaze of the crowd.
Meanwhile, surveillance personnel at First Base analyzed the young man’s features, matching him against their database multiple times before confirming his identity and urgently reporting to Yan Zhongjie.
“He really came.”
“Unbelievable,” murmured the crowd. With the hostility between City G and First Base, no one thought Wen Xin would accept First Base’s proposal. If there was to be a meeting, many had expected it to occur on a battlefield strewn with corpses.
The moment Wen Xin appeared, the deployment at First Base’s gate subtly shifted. Hidden artillery’s warning lights began to flicker rapidly, while Defense Forces encircled all entrances and exits. Staff at the surveillance monitors held their breath.
Snipers stationed in elevated vantage points squinted at the figure below, but one of them spotted something unusual.
“Reporting! Something’s wrong!”
“What’s wrong?” a staffer asked nervously. “Speak up!”
“I don’t see those S-class entities around him!”
The sniper double-checked. S-class entities could take human form, so he focused on scanning for any unusual personnel near Wen Xin. None were present.
No mutant entities for protection? That meant Wen Xin could be killed with relative ease!
The sniper’s heart raced. Taking down Wen Xin would be a monumental accomplishment.
He placed his finger on the trigger, barely containing his excitement. “I’m ready to take the shot. Requesting permission to eliminate the target.”
Static crackled in his earpiece as the staffers deliberated, eventually escalating the decision to higher-ups. However, the response left the sniper frustrated—his request was denied, and he was ordered to maintain his position.
Reluctantly, he followed orders. But just then, through the scope, he noticed Wen Xin glance briefly, almost deliberately, in his direction.
“Mr. Wen, this way.”
Retracting his gaze, Wen Xin followed his escort into the imposing Union Court. It wasn’t until his figure disappeared inside that the sniper realized he was drenched in cold sweat, his finger trembling as he let go of the trigger.
Participants in the joint trial had undergone rigorous screening. As they entered and took their seats, they maintained a careful silence, avoiding unnecessary interaction.
However, when the Survivor Alliance noticed Wen Xin had arrived without his usual S-class entourage, it caused a small uproar. Some members whispered urgently among themselves.
Although allied with Wen Xin, they didn’t truly understand the young executive’s mind. To them, the S-class mutants were his greatest asset. If Wen Xin had come alone, how could they face First Base?
In the audience, private discussions buzzed with a mix of curiosity and ill intent.
Unnoticed in the shadows, a Survivor Alliance member, covertly working for First Base, stood and stormed up to Wen Xin, shouting, “Where are they?!”
Wen Xin’s guards intercepted him. Undeterred, the man raised his voice further to provoke a scene. “Dammit! You didn’t bring them with you? Without them, how can we stand against First Base? Do you even realize how dire the situation—”
The last word never left his lips. Wen Xin lowered his gaze to him, and the man felt a primal fear, like prey caught in the sights of a predator. His entire body stiffened as terror coursed through him.
Just as he was about to scream, a calm, youthful voice rang softly in his ear, playful and persuasive, “So many people are watching—don’t make such a fuss. Relax, head back to your seat, and sit down. Quickly now.”
The agent’s expression turned dazed. He saw Wen Xin’s lips move, offering comforting words. Nodding meekly, he returned to his seat and stayed silent.
The First Base staff who had encouraged him to act stared in confusion. No matter how many signals they gave, the agent ignored them.
A commotion erupted near the entrance. A commanding man strode in, flanked by guards. His sharp eyes scanned the room and locked onto Wen Xin.
The room fell silent as the two figures, symbols of immense power, confronted each other.
Yan Zhongjie was the first to speak, extending his hand with a polite smile. “So, you’re Wen Xin? I’ve heard a lot about you. Seeing how young you are, reaching this position must have been no easy feat.”
Wen Xin cast a meaningful glance at Yan Zhongjie, his expression unfazed by the veiled sarcasm in the latter’s tone. Maintaining his composure, Wen Xin extended his hand with elegance. “General Yan flatters me.”
Yan Zhongjie was caught off guard by Wen Xin’s lack of retort. Just as he was about to speak, he felt a sudden surge of strength in the handshake. The smile on his face faltered slightly.
What should have been a brief handshake extended to an unusual two minutes, with neither man letting go.
The surrounding crowd couldn’t help but notice, their gazes filled with curiosity and surprise. As Yan Zhongjie was about to break into a cold sweat from the pain, Wen Xin finally released his grip lightly and walked to his seat without a backward glance.
No one could tell that Yan Zhongjie was enduring excruciating pain, as though his bones might break. Despite this, he maintained his composure, turning with a faint smile to hide his discomfort.
The moment his back was turned, his expression darkened. His men, who had come forward to report, froze under his terrifyingly cold glare, too frightened to speak.
Soon, the trial began.
To preempt the Survivor Alliance’s responses, the First Base immediately launched their offensive. They wasted no time cutting to the heart of the matter. “Roughly two months ago, a secret document was discovered at a health quarantine center in a certain city. After verification by our experts, this document records the entire process behind the creation of the zombie virus.”
“Regardless of the reasons, anyone involved in the research of the zombie virus is utterly unforgivable! As one of the chief culprits, Xin Nuannuan not only contributed to the disaster but also remained silent for over twenty years, offering no warnings and disregarding innocent lives. Her actions are nothing short of reprehensible!”
The Survivor Alliance’s defense team immediately countered, “First Base must refrain from assigning baseless blame. The idea that an individual could singlehandedly dictate the will of an entire group is the most absurd claim I’ve ever heard! The problem lies with the heinous experiment itself, not Xin Nuannuan alone.”
“Xin Nuannuan did not remain silent,” they continued, producing a document as evidence. “According to communication records from over twenty years ago in City H, Xin Nuannuan repeatedly reported the existence of the secret research to the health and epidemic control bureau as well as to community oversight bodies. These reports were ignored.”
The defense pressed further, their voices unwavering. “First Base, answer us directly—why won’t you admit that the ‘certain city’ is City H? Why were Xin Nuannuan’s whistleblowing communications deliberately ignored at the time? How did the zombie virus experiments evade oversight in City H? Were there individuals in power from First Base who aided and abetted this atrocity?”
The rebuttal was masterful. The courtroom resonated with the defense’s commanding voice, leaving the audience speechless and stunned.
Not to be outdone, First Base countered that the claims about City H and Xin Nuannuan were entirely unsubstantiated, with no hard evidence to back them up.
The debate grew more heated, with both sides hurling arguments and rebuttals at each other, their faces flushed from the effort. Yet, beneath the fervor, there seemed to be a deliberate attempt to stall for time.
Meanwhile, in a separate reception room, a slender figure slipped out unnoticed. Like an agile leopard, he scaled a wall and disappeared into a ventilation duct. Navigating the narrow, dark space, he skillfully evaded surveillance cameras and patrolling guards.
The young man waited patiently for the guards to switch shifts. Unzipping his jacket, he revealed a small, fluffy head that poked out and exhaled deeply, clearly having been stifled for too long.
“All yours,” the young man said softly, gently rubbing the little creature’s head.
The red panda, San San, let out a quiet chirp of acknowledgment and activated its ability. As its sensory powers expanded, the air was filled with colorful threads, each one connecting to a person or object.
For the past two months, San San had undergone rigorous training to enhance its sense of smell. Its abilities now extended beyond detecting tangible scents; it could also perceive highly specific energy fluctuations in the air.
With San San’s help, First Base’s supposedly impenetrable defenses unraveled completely. Hidden security measures were exposed in real-time, laid bare before Wen Xin with a clarity visible to the naked eye.
